Worldview is the comprehensive perception of reality, right?
We try to figure out how humanity relates to the rest of the world.
And every worldview has to answer three fundamental questions.
One is, how are things supposed to be?
What's the ideal state?
And secondly, what is the main problem with the way things are?
And thirdly, what is the solution and how can it be reached?
For example, Plato and much of Greek thought that the main problem with the world was the body, the material things.
And so they encouraged philosophy and the cultivation of virtue as a way to transcend the material universe.
Karl Marx blames unjust economic systems and class struggles for the world's ills.
And so to him, the solution was the communist state.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the romanticists thought that the problem in society was industrialization, technology.
And so their solution was to return to art, to nature, and to primitive freedom.
And nowadays, what's popular is it's the worldview of the Silicon Valley,
who believes that the power of technology, they believe in the power of technology to solve all social ills.
But philosopher Leslie Stevenson, who teaches in the UK, in his classic introduction to the Western worldviews,
entitled Seven Theories of Human Nature, makes a really insightful observation that sets Christianity apart from the other worldviews.
And he writes,
So then in locating the fundamental problem of humanity in the relationship with God,
the disruption of our relationship with God,
and offering a solution not by just what we can do to solve it,
but what God has done, the initiative he has taken to solve it,
Christianity, the Bible, offers an answer that's unique to those three questions.
And we found out the answer to the first question,
how are things supposed to be, what's the ideal state, last week.
We were created for worship, which entails our work, and for relationship with God.
And then now today we find here in this passage the answers to the second and third questions.
What is the main problem with the way things are, and what is the solution, and how can it be realized?
And Genesis 3 teaches us the world is disordered by our sinful rebellion.
And we can reorder our worship of God and relationship with the world only by believing in Jesus Christ.
And so you're going to talk about that in three phases.
We'll talk about first the character of sin, then the consequences of sin,
and third the cure for sin, the character, consequences, and the cure.
Verse 1 begins ominously.
Now, the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
I'll explain the identity of the serpent more clearly later,
but for now it's important to note that it's an actual serpent.
It's a snake.
That's why it says the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
So this is a serpent, a snake that the Lord God had made.
And this crafted serpent approaches the woman and says to her,
Did God actually say, You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?
But there's a, it seems like an innocent question at first,
but there's sinister intent there, right?
Because what God actually said in chapter 2, 16, 17 was,
You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat,
for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.
But the serpent, you know, shrewdly and subversively phrases that question
in a way that makes God look stingy and, you know, stringent, right?
He says, Did God actually say you shall not eat of any tree in the garden?
And as the Bible commentator Gordon Wenham puts it,
it's a total travesty of God's original generous permission.
He said, Here's all of it.
You can have it all, except for that one thing.
But Satan makes it seem like, No, he told you not to have anything.
And so, not only that, and serpent uses a word for God.
So, previous to this, all the references to God in chapter 2
refer to God as the Lord God.
So, not just the generic God, but the Lord God,
referring to his covenant name, which points to his relationship,
covenant relationship with Adam and Eve.
But the serpent surely avoids that reference
and simply calls him God, the generic God,
the distant God, the creator that doesn't really care about you,
that God, he says.
So, the God, did God actually say to you,
You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?
And in verses 2 to 3, Eve does correct the serpent,
but not precisely and not fully.
She says, We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
but God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree
that is in the midst of the garden,
neither shall you touch it, lest you die.
So, first, God had said,
You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,
but Eve kind of waters down that emphatically generous provision of God.
So, she doesn't mention that God said,
Surely eat of every tree.
And secondly, Eve adapts the serpent's distant way of referring to God.
She doesn't say, Lord God.
She says, God.
And then third, there is a troubling ambiguity in Eve's summary of God's prohibition.
Because she says that God told them not to eat of the fruit of the tree
that is in the midst of the garden.
But in chapter 2, verse 9,
he told us that both the tree of life
and the tree of knowledge of good and evil
are in the midst of the garden.
So, which tree is she talking about?
Maybe she thinks God prohibited both of them,
everything, all the tree in the garden, from them.
And then fourth,
and this is the most alarming of everything that Eve changes in this passage,
she adds an additional element to God's prohibition.
It says,
Neither shall you touch it, lest you die.
God had mentioned nothing about touching the tree.
There's no problem with touching the tree.
He just said to don't eat of it.
But Eve adds to God's law,
and in doing so, actually subtracts from it.
And you can see that in saying that,
she's already adopting the serpent's attitude,
thinking that God's harsh, repressive, stringent.
Instead of acknowledging his generosity,
oh, this distant God, he says,
you can't even touch it.
Don't even touch the tree.
So, you can kind of anticipate what's going to happen after Eve's response.
And so, having definitely shifted Eve's attention from appreciating God's provision
to doubting his provision,
he goes directly to impugn God's motives in verse 4.
But the serpent said to the woman,
You will not surely die,
for God knows that when you eat of it,
your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God,
knowing good and evil.
God said,
you will surely die when you do this.
And the serpent says,
you will not surely die.
And the implication, of course,
is that God's, you know,
kind of selfish.
He's thinking about himself.
He's maybe even jealous.
He doesn't.
He wants to make sure he withholds this good thing from Adam and Eve.
So, you know what's really going on, Eve?
It's not that there's anything bad about eating from this tree.
In fact, it's going to make you more like God and open your eyes.
God just doesn't want that for you.
He's trying to withhold that from you.
So let's ask at this point,
what exactly is the tree of knowledge, good and evil?
Because sometimes people think about it as an apple tree.
It doesn't actually say that it's an apple tree.
It comes from the Latin word for apple,
which means also,
it's also the same word for evil.
That's why that was used to represent the tree of knowledge,
good and evil in the past.
But what in fact was a tree,
it was a poisonous tree.
Like what's going on?
Why does it cause death?
And why does God forbid it?
And since tree of life,
according to verse 22,
gives life,
eternal life,
it seems that the tree of knowledge of good and evil
should give knowledge of good and evil.
Right?
That'd be a fair assumption.
And if that's the case,
then why does God withhold it from Adam and Eve?
Isn't knowledge a good thing?
Right?
In fact,
isn't the whole book of Proverbs
pointed to,
you know,
given to us to discern good from good and evil?
Isn't the whole point of the book of Proverbs
to pursue knowledge and wisdom?
Right?
In fact,
Psalm 19,
7 to 8,
teaches that the law of the Lord
makes wise the simple
and gives light to the eyes.
Sounds a lot like the tree of knowledge,
good and evil.
So verse 5,
serpent promises Eve,
your eyes will be opened.
And then it says in verse 6
that the woman saw
that the tree was to be desired
to make one wise.
So they seek that,
seek wisdom,
seek that.
But why doesn't God want this wisdom
for Adam and Eve?
And the reason is this,
right?
Because though the Psalms
often praise the law of God
and the Proverbs
enjoin us to pursue His wisdom,
the law and the wisdom
that we pursue
is always in reference to God.
It's the wisdom and knowledge
that's from God,
not knowledge and wisdom
that's apart from God.
So Proverbs 1, 7 says,
the fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge.
Proverbs 21, 30 says,
no wisdom,
no understanding,
no counsel
can avail against the Lord.
There's wisdom and knowledge
that's God's unique prerogative.
And we ought to pursue wisdom
and knowledge
in submission to Him
and not in rebellion against Him.
We're supposed to get wisdom
and knowledge from Him,
not apart from Him.
So what Eve's doing here
is not just seeking moral knowledge,
she's seeking moral autonomy.
She wants to know for herself
and to decide for herself
what is right and wrong,
not to get it from the Lord God
who created her
and designed her
to live for Him.
And it's not that Adam and Eve,
if you think about it,
didn't know at all
what was good and evil, right?
I mean, they did know to a degree
because the Lord God said,
you may surely eat
of every tree of the garden.
That's good.
You can do that.
But then He says specifically
of the tree of knowledge
of good and evil,
you shall not eat
for in the day you eat of it,
you shall surely die.
That was not good.
And they knew that.
They knew in that sense
what was good and what was evil,
what was right and what was wrong
because they knew
what God had told them,
what He had told them not to do.
But by taking the fruit,
the serpent is cunningly
manipulating Eve
to be the arbiter of goodness
and evil herself,
to decide for herself
what is good and what is evil.
Jenny once told me about this,
actually,
and I confirmed it
in a Harvard Gazette article.
It was actually written
two years ago today
about a Harvard seal.
If you guys have seen it,
it's three books,
open books,
has the word veritas in it,
which is the Latin word
for truth.
And it's not,
that's not the original design.
The 17th century design
that the Puritans had,
the first two books were open,
but the third book was closed.
It's not open.
And it was to suggest
that the first two books
are God's revelation,
scripture,
the Old and the New Testaments.
And the third book
was supposed to represent
the fact that there is
knowledge and wisdom
that is reserved for God alone.
Compared to that
profound theological truth,
the new seal looks
a little shallow,
doesn't it?
Now we think,
yeah,
we can attain all knowledge
for ourselves.
Human autonomy,
that's really what's going on
with Eve's sin,
right here.
It's the essence
of human hubris
to think that we can be
the masters of our own faith,
to think that we can attain
all knowledge
and be totally autonomous
apart from God
and live without reference
to God.
The part of root
of every sin is,
that's why it's pride
and unbelief.
Those two things,
they're flips,
two sides of the same coin,
pride and unbelief
are at the root
of every single sin.
It's an act of treason,
really.
Ultimate rebellion,
disbelieving God
and then believing
that they can be like God,
believing that we can be
like God.
And notice how the serpent
never makes
a direct suggestion to Eve,
you know,
you should really eat
of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil.
He doesn't do that.
He understands
the art of seduction.
He simply presents
an alternative
to God's command
and makes it seem
like it's more desirable.
Sin looks attractive
in this picture.
You see this in verse 6.
Read that with me.
So when the woman saw
that the tree
was good for food
and that it was
a delight to the eyes
and that the tree
was to be desired
to make one wise,
she took of its fruit
and ate
and she also gave some
to her husband
who was with her
and he ate.
It was good,
delightful,
desirable,
sin looks attractive,
looks good.
Vices,
sins,
have to masquerade
as virtues
in order to be
appealing to us.
You see this everywhere.
Lust masquerades
as love.
Selfishness masquerades
as self-love
or self-esteem.
Abuse masquerades
as discipline.
Slutfulness masquerades
as being relaxed
and laid back.
Pride masquerades
as being confident.
Selfish ambition
masquerades
as drive
and industriousness.
Envy masquerades
as righteous indignation.
Lack of faith
masquerades
as reasonableness.
And cynicism
masquerades
as wisdom.
Licentiousness
masquerades
as progressiveness.
Fear of man
masquerades
as humility.
Mockery
and scorn
masquerades
as witticism.
Gossip
masquerades
as concern.
Permissiveness
masquerades
as tolerance.
Isn't that true?
Sin always looks good.
It's attractive.
We do it
because we want
to do it.
And that's
why sin
is ultimately
so grievous
to God.
Not only
because we're
pridefully
declaring
that we know
better than God
does,
but because
we're also
faithlessly
denying
God's
generous
provision
for us,
His goodness
toward us.
We're doing
exactly what
Eve did
in thinking
that God
is stringent.
He's withholding
something from us.
He's being
wicked toward us.
He's not being
good and generous
toward us.
That's why
sin is grievous.
Because God's
heart toward
His openness
is generous
and good.
He gives us
all that is
good and provides
for us.
Yet we think
of Him
and we think
of the sins,
the other things
that attract us
and we see
those things
and say,
no,
that's better.
God's withholding
something from me.
This is better.
That's so grievous
to God.
He's a generous
Father.
He's our
loving creator.
And so Eve
takes the fruit
and eats
and gives it
also to her husband.
And now we come
to verses 6 to 8
which is the
climactic moment
of this whole narrative.
Chapters 2 and 3
is just really
artistically structured.
It's the whole thing
is structured
as a chiasm
or it's symmetrically
structured
so that there's
an element
in the beginning
that corresponds
to an element
in the end
and they kind of
come together
to highlight
what's in the middle.
So that's what's
going on.
So first,
let me show you
in chapter 2
verses 5 to 17
God plants
the Garden of Eden
and then brings
the tree of life
in the midst of it
and then forms man
from the dust
of the ground
and then puts him
there to work it
and keep it.
So that's what happens
in that first section.
And in the corresponding
section at the end
it's God banishes
Adam and Eve
from the Garden of Eden
and then
so that they may
not eat
from the tree of life
and then instead
of working the garden
now Adam must
work the ground
from which he was taken
and the keeping duty
that was given
to Adam
is now given
to the cherubim
to keep Adam
from coming
into the garden.
You see all the
stuff that happens.
So this structure
intentionally highlights
the consequences
of sin.
So after that
is the second element
chapter 2
verses 18 to 25
it conveys
the original ideal
of creation.
man rules
over the earth
and its animals
along with the woman
his perfect helpmate
and then the scene
ends with how
the man and wife
will procreate together
and how they were
naked but unashamed.
And then the
corresponding section
in chapter 3
is verses 14 to 21
that's the fallen
reality of creation.
There is perpetual
enmity now
between the woman
and the servant
and between the man
and the woman
and the scene
also ends
with the mention
of procreation
and this time
instead of
being naked
and unashamed
God clothes Adam
and Eve
in garments of skin.
So again
that corresponding
element
the consequences
of sin.
And then the
third element
is chapter 3
verses 1 to 5
which says
that the crafty
serpent tempts
Eve to eat
from the tree
of knowledge
of good and evil
by saying three
things about the tree.
And then later
in verses 9 to 13
after eating
from the tree
of knowledge
of good and evil
Adam and Eve
discover that
they are naked.
The word naked
is a word play
on the word crafty.
They look exactly
the same.
Almost exactly
the same.
And then God
poses three questions
to Adam and Eve.
You guys see
the structure
I'm talking about?
And now all this
is intended
to highlight
the element
in the middle
which is where
we are.
Verses 6 to 8
Man and woman
are standing alone
in the middle
of the garden
and the woman
listens to the serpent
and the man
listens to the woman
and God
is not listened
to by the man.
So that's
it points out
the hierarchy
that gets broken
and subverted
here.
And even the way
the verses 6 to 8
are phrased
really highlight
the fact that
Adam and Eve
really is usurping
God's rights
as a creator.
So if you look
at verse 6 to 8
it's just staccato pace
rapid pace
there's a lot of action
the woman saw
she took
and ate
and she also gave
some to her husband
and he ate.
And all of these
things are things
that previously
were attributed
to God
God's action
right?
If you remember
in creation
God saw
that it was good
right?
But now it's the woman
that sees
that the fruit
is good
right?
And then it says
that you know
God took
the rift
from Adam
and formed Eve
with it
and then God
brought Eve
to Adam
but now it says
the woman
took of the fruit
and ate it
right?
And then
so that
God's taking
the rift
from Adam
but also
God taking
the man
and putting
him in the
garden of Eden
now eats
the woman
that takes
of the fruit
and eats.
And then
third
making
right?
Up to this point
it was God
who had done
all the making
to provide
for the man's
need
but now
after their sin
they themselves
make for
themselves
loincloths
to clothe themselves.
God's not
providing for them
in that scene
after sin
they have to
provide for themselves
because they
have usurped
the creator's rights.
So then
in these
three verses
verses 6 to 8
the creators
the created order
the divinely
instituted order
in creation
is inverted
it's turned
upside down.
God as the creator
of the heavens
and the earth
rules over it all
and then he formed
man to rule
over the earth
as his representative
and then he gave
Eve to him
as his helper
and gave him
the responsibility
to lead her
and to represent her
and then
together
men and women
were to rule
over the earth
which included
all the animals
right?
So the creational
order was
God
man
woman
animals
but in
verses 6 to 8
the woman
listens to the serpent
which she's supposed
to rule over
and the man
listens to the woman
whom he's supposed
to lead
and take responsibility
for
and then
they both
together
disobey
and rebel
against God
so the whole
thing
is inverted
and notice
in verse 6
it says
she gave some
to her husband
who was
with her
right?
Adam's there
all along
right?
So people think
sometimes
oh it's Eve's fault
she's the one
that took it
Adam's right there
and you know what
he's the one
that heard
God's command
to not take
from the tree
of the knowledge
of good and evil
Eve wasn't there
he is the one
that God gave the charge
to take responsibility
for his wife
instead he is
you know
classically passive
just letting the woman
do what she wants
and just following
her lead
forsaking his responsibility
and sins
against
God
and what happens
now we turn to
the consequences
of sin
verse 7
to 8
verse 7
it says
then the eyes
of both
were opened
now this part
the serpent
got right
but if the devil
tells you the truth
it's always a half truth
intended to deceive
right?
so their eyes
were opened
but instead of
gaining great knowledge
and wisdom
the rest of the verse
says that they knew
they were naked
that's ironic
it's really tragic
because I told you
about the word play
between crafty
and naked
while this great
knowledge you gained
from following
the crafty serpent
you discover
that you're naked
that's it
now verse 8
continues
and they heard
the sound
of the Lord God
walking in the garden
in the cool of the day
and the man
and his wife
hid themselves
from the presence
of the Lord God
among the trees
of the garden
so not only
are Adam and Eve
ashamed of their
own nakedness
with each other
now they're hiding
from the Lord God
their creator also
now instead of
intimacy
and complete openness
that they used to enjoy
now there's fear
and shame
in humanity
and isn't it interesting
that human beings
are the only
creatures of the world
that wear clothes
animals don't wear clothes
parallel wears clothes
only because Ray and Carolyn
put it on
right
it's because of the shame
that we experience
due to sin
due to our loss
of innocence
now that doesn't mean
that we should embrace
our primal nakedness
and then go skinny dipping
somewhere
right
to return to
Eden's bliss
immodest exposure
and public nudity
are acts of denial
and defiance
of the moral reality
that we are fallen
from where we were
that something is wrong
in this world
so every time
we put on clothes
in the morning
it's a reminder
for us
that we are sinners
in need
of God's gracious
covering
that's the real purpose
of clothes
so when God comes
it is said
in verse 8
that he was walking
in the garden
in the cool
of the day
and the word
translated here
as cool
is the same word
translated spirit
or wind
or breath
elsewhere
so the wind
of the day
the breath
of the day
it's referring
to the cool
wind
in the early
evening
that drives
away
the heat
of the day
right
so it's that
time of day
and God
is in the garden
and the wind
is because
it's referenced
often to the spirit
right
so just like
in Genesis 1
to 2
the spirit
of God
was hovering
over the face
of the waters
so just as
the spirit
of God
was hovering
over the face
of the waters
in the act
of creation
now in God's
act of redemption
the spirit
of God
is also
in the garden
looking for
his covenant
subjects
and once again
the narrative
restores God's name
it's not God
anymore
it's Lord God
again
because the Lord
God has come
for a reckoning
to address
the subjects
who have rebelled
against him
and so naturally
they hide
but of course
it's God
you can't hide
from him
he asks him
verse 9
a rhetorical question
really where are you
and implicit
within the question
is why are you
hiding from me
and they respond
Adam responds
I heard
the sound
of you
in the garden
and I was afraid
because I was naked
and I hid myself
it's such an illuminating tale
just because
you see the classic
human response
to wrongdoing
and guilt
and all throughout this
right
because that's a classic
tactic
he's basically avoiding
eye contact
and diverting attention
he's like
oh no
I'm naked
that's why I hid
but that's not the point
right
I mean
God knows
what's going on
so he asks
who told you
that you were naked
have you eaten
of the tree
of which I commanded
you not to eat
and then
another classic
defense mechanism
blame shifting
I mean
you guys laughed
out loud
because it really
is funny
what happens
the man said
the woman
whom you gave me
the woman
whom you gave
to be with me
she gave me
fruit of the tree
and I ate
I mean
he's not just
blaming
his wife
he's accusing
God
the woman
you gave me
you thought
it was a grand
old idea
oh man
that was a mistake
and so Eve
was designed
to be Adam's helper
instead of
helping hindered him
and so
and Adam
who's not supposed
to take responsibility
for Eve
and to represent her
just abdicates
completely
and blames her
lays all the
responsibility on her
and then the woman
follows suit
by shifting her
blame as well
verse 13
the serpent
deceived me
and I ate
the serpent
mind you
according to verse 1
the Lord God
had made
the serpent
you made
the peace
and harmony
that characterized
the garden of Eden
is now shattered
sin
has alienated
man from God
and woman
from man
and animals
from humanity
and notice how
the Lord God
comes to reestablish
that created order
even though the woman
was the leading
protagonist
in the preceding
narrative
he first comes
to man
because he's
holding him
responsible
because he had
appointed him
as head
that's why in Romans 5
it teaches that sin
and death
enter humanity
through Adam
not Eve
because Adam
was the federal head
the representative head
in his marriage
and of humanity
at large
and then after
addressing Adam
that God
addresses
Eve
and then interestingly
God
doesn't
even give the serpent
a chance to speak
right
though the serpent
sought to
to be the man's
superior
and advisor
God doesn't even
deign to speak
to him
because Adam
and Eve
not the serpent
are his covenant
subjects
created in his image
and he holds
them responsible
and then God
utters a series
of curses
over creation
as consequences
of sin
and this is tragic
because if you remember
from Genesis 1
after each successive
act of God's creation
what does he do?
He blesses
and now because of sin
he curses
his creation
verses 14
read with me
the Lord God
said to the serpent
because you have
done this
cursed are you
above all livestock
and above all
beasts of the field
and on your belly
you shall go
and thus you shall eat
all the days
of your life
now
the serpent
was more crafty
but now he is
more cursed
than all the beasts
of the field
and Leviticus 11
and Deuteronomy 14
describe that animals
that go on their belly
are detestable
and unfit
for consumption
and unfit
to be offered
for sacrifice
and so here
the serpent
is cursed
to go on its belly
in fact the serpent
violates all the normal
classifications
of animals
according to the Old Testament
doesn't fit neatly
into any of the God's
created categories
it swarms
and it rides
and so it makes it
the perfect
kind of a symbol
of everything
that is anti-God
anti-order of creation
so that's why
the serpent
I think is so fitting
that's used here
so this is
and the punishment
is true
on both literal
and figurative levels
right
because literally
the serpent slithers
on the ground
on the dust of the earth
so it's really
eating dust
all day long
but more importantly
figuratively
eating dust
represents
abject humiliation
complete humiliation
that's what you do
to your enemies
after you conquer them
if you look at
the Old Testament
see Psalm 72
9
Solomon writes
that God's enemies
will lick the dust
so the serpent
then will face
ultimate humiliation
and defeat
that's what that
punishment implies
and God's curse
continues in verse 25
I will put enmity
between you
and the woman
and between your offspring
and her offspring
he shall bruise your head
and you shall bruise
his heel
I'll explain
the theological
importance of this
later
but for now
this is literally true
the curse is still
very true
I read earlier this year
I think it was in January
in the Washington Post
they ran a story
about how Florida
is losing its battle
against snakes
the Everglades
are being over
you know
just overrun
by Burmese pythons
they're destroying
the wildlife
in fact
they're driving
some of them
near extinction
and so they had
to hire special
snake hunters
from India
to come over
and find them
and it's still
a losing battle
this is still going on
women
their offspring
humanity
versus snakes
it's still going on
and of course
the favorite way
to kill a snake
is to smash the head
right
I mean that's still
that's what's in view here
and then God turns
to the woman
in verse 16
and says
I will surely
multiply your pain
and childbearing
in pain
you shall bring forth
children
and notice
how merciful
God is here
I never noticed
this until
I was preparing
for this sermon
this week
is that
God
he curses
his creation
but he never
curses
his
man and a woman
he doesn't curse
the man and a woman
he curses
the serpent
and he curses
the ground
but he doesn't
curse man
and a woman
because they're
still his
covenant people
because he still
loves them
right
what happens
instead
is that
their spheres
are disrupted
their responsibilities
are now going to
come with more
difficulty
and pain
pain
is the word
that's used
to describe
them
but curse
is not used
of them
it's only
used
of the serpent
and the ground
and here
God
addresses
the woman's
childbearing
and later
the man's
work
not because
the two
spheres
never overlap
or because
they ought
to be
strictly
separate
but because
they are
the woman
and the man's
primary spheres
the woman's
primary orientation
is toward
home
and toward
her children
note well
that here
childbearing
itself
is not
a curse
there's not
pain in
childbearing
but childbearing
is not
a curse
and pain
of childbearing
before epidural
was one of the
bitterest pains
known to humanity
frequently led
to death
and if you
look at
Genesis 2
18
and 2
23
to 24
being a man's
helper
and the mother
of children
constitute
a unique
role of woman
and that's why
it's highlighted
here and singled
out as
woman's
sphere
and giving
birth to
children
is seen
as
imitating
God
as his
image bearers
that's why
in Genesis
5
3
it says
Adam fathered
a son
in his
own likeness
after his
image
and named
him Seth
does sound
familiar to you
to procreate
procreation
is described
in exactly
the same
terms
as God's
creation
of man
and woman
in Genesis
1
26
to 27
and of course
the fact that
childbearing is
uniquely the
woman's
prerogative
is hardly a
striking insight
but many
women lose
sight of this
in a world
where gender
distinctions are
blurred
and women are
encouraged to do
the same things
that men do
right
and the
late
Elizabeth
Fox
Genevieve
who is a
feminist
historian
who directed
the women's
studies
department
at Emory
University
she writes
this in one
of her
books
she says
so long
as women
bear children
they will
not be
identical
to men
and hence
not equal
to them
in the end
the best
explanation
for their
economic
inequality
remains
women's
ability
to bear
children
the inequality
that no
amount of
social policy
can erase
social policy
can erase
the consequences
of that
inequality
but it is
unlikely to
accomplish
even that
much until
we replace
the feminist
quest for
an illusory
equality
with compassionate
attention to
the lives
most women
actually live
the unique
ability of the
woman to
bear children
should be
celebrated
not deprecated
and more
recently
in a New
York Times
article
it was
Judith
Shulovic
she's also a
feminist author
writes
it's entitled
How to Fix
Feminism
she writes
that Hillary
Clinton's
generation
aimed to
free women
from domestic
prisons
but work
is a prison
too
she writes
that most
feminist
policy makers
have often
focused on
benefits for
wage earning
women
but then she
asked
what about
the women
who want
to get out
of the
workplace
at least
for a while
and then
points to
the bill
that
representative
Nita
Lowy
apparently
introduced
in New
York
which would
give
social security
credit to
caregivers
who left
the labor
market
to cut
back on
hours
a public
nod to
the reality
that care
is work
and caregivers
merit the same
benefits as
other workers
mothering is
real work
mothering is
hard work
mothering is
significant work
and this is
especially appropriate
on Mother's Day
mothers should
be honored
not just
on Mother's
Day
but every
day
for their
invaluable
contribution
and irreplaceable
contribution
to society
and even
more importantly
for their
irreplaceable
contribution
to fulfilling
God's
intention
for humanity
having children
being a parent
is uniformly
seen as a
blessing
throughout
scripture
consider
psalm 127
3
behold
children
are a
heritage
from the
Lord
the fruit
of the
womb
of reward
but unfortunately
this is
we have
in our
culture
have an
ambivalent
view of
children
on the
one hand
most couples
still want
to have
children
are disappointed
when their
attempts
fail
but on the
other hand
many couples
also delay
having children
for as long
as possible
in order to
pursue
their careers
and attain
financial stability
now there is
no strong
scriptural case
against
postponing
having children
sometimes
delaying
can help
a couple
to focus
on their
new relationship
especially during
their early
difficult years
of marriage
for some
but with that
said I can't
say that the
bible recommends
such a delay
either
and we have
to examine
our hearts
to see
if our
attitudes
to see
if there
isn't an
unbiblical
devaluation
of children
and nowadays
even the
people who
want children
often see them
as a burden
right
I saw
a meme
recently
and yes
Steve
I do know
what a
meme is
it has a
drawing of
a baby
on it
and it
reads
sometimes
when I get
sad about
not having
kids
I sleep
until noon
don't cook
or do
laundry
for a
week
watch
everything
but cartoons
and buy
myself
a gift
yeah
it's funny
right
but it's
also selfish
isn't it
and even
childish
right
our parents
or someone
else
made all
those sacrifices
to raise
us
but we're
not willing
to make
those sacrifices
for our
children
so what
if we can't
sleep until
noon
you don't get
to watch
any of your
favorite tv
shows
and you
have to
cook
and do
laundry
all the
time
so that
so what
if you
have to
give up
being able
to eat
out
all the
time
because
you have
to take
care
of your
kid
or to
provide
for your
kid
what if
we have
to give
up personal
downtime
so that
we have
time to
play with
our
children
we're
raising
up
another
human
being
made
in the
image
of
God
they
will
either
live
forever
with
God
or
perish
without
him
is that
not
a
worthy
weighty
task
to give
ourselves
to
let's
not let
our
children
grow up
with
the
impression
that
they
are
an
inconvenience
to
us
or
a
nuisance
this
kind
of
self
giving
sacrificial
love
should
not
be
foreign
to
people
who
follow
a
crucified
savior
who gave
his
life
to save
sinners
perhaps
you're a single
woman or
married but
for one reason
or another is unable
to have
children
if so let me
encourage you by
telling of another
way you can fulfill
his commission to be
fruitful and multiply
because in
Matthew 12
49 to 50
Jesus says
here are my
mother and my
brothers
for whoever does
the will of my
father in heaven
is my brother and
sister and mother
teaching the importance
of the family of
God which will
outlast the
biological family
in 1st
timothy 5
1 to 2
Paul writes
do not rebuke an
older man
and speaking to
people in the
church
do not rebuke an
older man but
encourage him as
you would a
father
younger men as
brothers
older women as
mothers
younger women as
sisters
in all purity
within the
spiritual family
of God the
church there
are numerous
opportunities for
all the women to
be mothers
to function as
spiritual mothers
and to lead
people to faith
to repentance
and belief
and in doing so
bear spiritual
children
that's kind of a
mother's day aside
it was a little bit
long but now
getting back to
verse 16
and you can read
the second half of
what God tells
women
so your desire
shall be contrary
to your husband
but he shall
rule over you
it's not immediately
apparent what this
verse means but
it becomes clear if
you compare it to a
very close parallel
in Genesis 4 7
where God tells
Cain
if you do well
will you not be
accepted
and if you do not
do well
sin is crouching
at the door
its desire
is contrary to
you
but you must
rule over it
right
so same pair of
words desire
and rule
and they can
so that helps
us to understand
it
so once again
the word desire
is conscious
with rule
so it seems
to be a desire
to have
to control
to take possession
of
so the sin
desire
is to have
its way
with Cain
but Cain
must master it
must rule over it
and here
God declares
that the wife's
desire
will be to have
her way
with her husband
to rule over her
to control
but instead
the husband
will rule
over her
and the word
rule here
means to lord it
over someone
to dominate someone
it's a corruption
of the husband's
God given call
to headship
to represent
and take responsibly
for his wife
so instead
the husband
will be tempted
to make idol
a power
and to abuse
and rule over
his wife
and the histories
and literatures
of every culture
and every time
is littered
with examples
of male domination
and abuse
of women
this pronouncement
is all too true
and lastly
God turns to Adam
in verse 17
sorry it sounds
so hopeless guys
the hope is coming
at the end
lastly God turns
to Adam
in verse 17
it says
because you have
listened to the voice
of your wife
and have eaten
of the tree
of which I commanded you
you shall not eat
of it
cursed is the ground
because of you
in pain
you shall eat of it
all the days
of your life
for the woman
there is now
pain in childbearing
and for the man
now there is pain
in ground working
and the word
listen in Hebrew
has the same nuance
as the word
for obey
so here
again is God's
indictment
of Adam
he ought to have
represented Eve
and taken responsibility
for her
but instead
he passively
obeyed her
because you have
listened to the voice
of your wife
and have eaten
of the tree
of which I
commanded you
you shall not
eat of it
cursed is the ground
because of you
in pain
you shall eat
of it
all the days
of your life
thorns and
thistle
shall bring forth
for you
and you shall
eat the plants
of the field
by the sweat
of your face
you shall eat
bread
till you return
to the ground
for out of it
you were taken
for you are dust
and to dust
you shall return
this is the reason
why work
is work
no matter
what kind
of work
you do
work
is tough
right
and there are
days when you
don't want to
work
and I know
this empirically
because I have
the best job
in the world
and there are
still days
when I don't
want to work
that's why
the mantra
to do
what you love
and you'll
never work
a day in your
life is naive
and misleading
it's really
an ideological
tool of capitalism
to exploit
laborers
when you
recognize work
as work
you could put
appropriate
boundaries on it
protect yourself
so you have
time
for personal
things
and for family
things
but when you
think of work
as not work
then it just
bleeds over
all of your life
it runs your life
the biblical
perspective on work
is unparalleled
and its balance
on the one hand
work is not a curse
so Adam was placed
in the garden
to work it
before the fall
of humanity
so we shouldn't
think of work
as something
to avoid
or escape
in fact
it confers
dignity
when we work
we're imitating
God who works
who created the world
but on the other hand
work is cursed
it's not a curse
but it is cursed
so we shouldn't
naively think
that it's all
going to be roses
when we pursue
our work
there's pain
involved
setbacks
disappointments
difficulties
with every
type of work
and that's
not the worst
of the punishments
and by the way
I mentioned to you
last week
a couple books
that deal with
these chapters
covered in chapter 2
and 3
we bought some copies
so that if you guys
are really interested
and want to read it
you could grab one
if there's not enough
for you at the end
you could borrow it
from someone
in the church
or buy it yourself
as well
and so that's not
the worst of the punishment
it says in verses 22
to 24
then the Lord God
said
behold the man
has become like
one of us
in knowing good
and evil
now lest he reach
out his hand
and take also
the tree of life
and eat
and live forever
therefore
the Lord God
sent him out
from the garden
of Eden
to work the ground
from which he was taken
he drove out the man
and at the east
of the garden
of Eden
he placed a cherubim
and a flaming sword
that turned every way
to guard the way
to the tree of life
so they're expelled
banished
from the garden
of Eden
they thought
they would become
like God
in the full sense
but instead
they just gained
knowledge of good
and evil
which separates
and alienates them
from God further
and God
banishes them
and this is an act
of grace
he says
lest he reach
out his hand
and take also
of the tree of life
and eat
and live forever
because if he reaches
out for the tree of life
and eats it
in his state
of alienation
from God
he will be in
forever a state
of rebellion
and alienation
from God
because there will be
no life to seek
so God
banishes him
because there can only
be life in him
with every death
every page
in the obituary
reminder
that something
is amiss
that we need God
that only he can
give us eternal life
but wait
didn't God say though
that on the day
they eat of it
they will die
how come they don't die
maybe Satan
was telling the truth
and God
was not telling the truth
of course
that's not the case
and Adam
will live
to a ripe old age
of 930 years
according to Genesis 5-5
but the formula
you shall not
do something
for you shall
surely die
is the formula
for divine threats
in the Old Testament
so it's really
a sentencing
it's a legal
sentencing
so if that's
what's in view
then it means
that the day
they eat of it
they will be sentenced
to death
consigned to death
and that is exactly
what happens
God says to Adam
in verse 19
by the sweat
of your face
you shall eat bread
till you return
to the ground
for out of it
you were taken
for you are dust
and to dust
you shall return
dust
the ground
is again
a word play
the word Adam
comes from the word
Hebrew word for ground
so the ground
is
the man was formed
from the ground
and then he was called
to cultivate the ground
and then when he dies
he will return
to the ground
the ground
the dirt
it's his cradle
it's his work
it's his grave
and so
while the physical death
doesn't come until later
the sentence comes
and the spiritual death
comes immediately
as I mentioned last week
the Garden of Eden
is a type of the future temple
I mentioned that to you guys
right
it represents the fullness
of God's presence
and unbroken communion
with him
and that's why the cherubim
now guards the entrance
and later the cherubim
guards the Lord's temple
the inner sanctuary
as well
and when Adam and Eve
then when they are
banned from the temple
of Eden
they're being banished
from the presence
of God
God who is the source
of all life
and they are
banned
they're severed
from his presence
and because only
in communion with him
we can have true life
eternal life
that's why Romans 5
speaks of condemnation
and separation from God
as death
that entered humanity
and an entailment
of that spiritual death
is physical death
which 1 Corinthians 15
talks about
physical death
is a symptom
of spiritual death
and all the genealogies
throughout the book
of Genesis
they're there
to bear witness
to this truth
Genesis 5.5
all the days
that Adam lived
were 930 years
and he died
Genesis 5.8
all the days
of Seth
were 912 years
and he died
Genesis 9.29
all the days
of Noah
were 950 years
and he died
everyone dies
in the book
of Genesis
Satan didn't tell
the truth
God did
so then
according to
Genesis
sin
is the main
problem of the world
that underlies
all our problems
you saw how
it alienated
humanity from God
and alienated
humanity
from themselves
one another
and it alienated
them from the rest
of creation
all creation
now he says
in Romans
is groaning
in Romans 8.22
in the pains
of childbirth
the creation
is disorder
something is amiss
about the world
and that
fearful prospect
should make a shudder
of being eternally
shut out from
God's presence
the light of the world
but there is still
hope
then we turn
to the cure
for sin
verse 21
hints at this
it says
the Lord God
made for Adam
and for his wife
garments of skins
and clothed them
now I don't think
that the animal skin
is given here
to Adam and Eve
is pointing to
the sacrificial system
because there is
no mention of blood
and you don't use
the skin
in the sacrificial system
but I do see
God graciously
clothing Adam
and Eve
their shame
and their nakedness
which is a result
of sin
and I think
it foreshadows
how God
will eventually
cover all our sin
and shame
clothing was one
of the most
significant markers
of social standing
in the ancient Near East
and in the Bible
in the Old Testament
especially the expression
clothed them
is used in only
two ways
the first way
is of king
clothing
his honored subjects
and secondly
it's of the priests
being clothed
in their sacred vestments
so when God
clothes Adam and Eve
here
it looks ahead
to those things
and in fact
Moses wrote
these books
himself
so he has them
in view
God's restoring
Adam and Eve
in a sense
saying
no I still have
covenant with you
I still have
relationship with you
and you are still
called to represent me
on earth
in Galatians 3
27
later says
that we are
to put on
Christ
like a garment
his righteousness
this points
to that ultimate
reality
verses 15
and 20
point even more
clearly to Christ
verse 20
says
the man called
his wife's name
Eve
because she was
the mother
of all living
her description
as the mother
of all living
is recalls
the promise
of offspring
in Genesis 3
15
where God
curses the serpent
and says
I will put
enmity between
you and the woman
and between
your offspring
and her offspring
he shall bruise
your head
and you shall
bruise his heel
I mentioned to you
earlier that there is
a deeper theological
sense to this verse
because the serpent
of course
is not just
an animal
but he represents
Satan
the devil
as Revelation 12
9
describes God's
decisive victory
of Satan
and he says
that the great
dragon was thrown
down
that ancient
serpent
who is called
the devil
and Satan
the deceiver
of the whole world
he has thrown
down to the earth
and his angels
were thrown
down with him
so whether a serpent
was actually
possessed
by Satan
here
in Genesis 3
or merely
personifies
Satan
there is
satanic
influence
here
and when we
consider this
we can see
that chapter 3
verse 15
is looking
ahead to a long
struggle between
humanity
and the forces
of Satan
the fight
between humanity
and sin
and evil
and in this
pronouncement
humanity has
decisive advantage
because
serpent will
bruise
his heel
but he
will bruise
his head
and the pronoun
used is he
referring to
a son
and this
may be why
this is why
throughout Genesis
the genealogists
have a prominent
role
because Moses
is intentionally
tracing the
line of the
woman
to say that
the offspring
is going to
eventually lead
to that future
Messiah
but not only
that
we just went
through the
gospel of John
you guys
remember how
Jesus always
refers to
himself as
the son of
man
and he
awkwardly calls
his mother
woman
right
it's probably
a reference
to this
as well
right
he is the
son of
man
promised
who will
come
to bruise
the serpent's
head
so Romans
5 summarizes
this in a
real amazing
way
he says
sin came
into the
world
through one
man
and death
through sin
and so death
spread to all
men because
all sin
and then he
says
Adam was a
type of the
one who was
to come
for if many
died through
one man's
trespass
much more
have the
grace of
God
and the
free gift
by the
grace of
that one
man
Jesus
Christ
abounded
for many
therefore as
one trespass
led to the
condemnation
for all
men
so one
act of
righteousness
leads to
justification
and life
for all
men
for as
by the
one man's
disobedience
the many
were made
sinners
so by
the one
man's
disobedience
the many
will be
made
righteous
so that
as sin
reigned
in death
grace
also might
reign
through
righteousness
leading to
eternal life
through Jesus
Christ
our Lord
Jesus
is the
second
Adam
he's the
new
and better
Adam
who fulfills
God's
intention
for humanity
he's the
one that
succeeds
where Adam
had
failed
remember
John 20
31
we said
Jesus
is the
Christ
the
son
of
God
and by
believing
we may
have
life
in his
name
we
forfeited
our access
humanity
did
to the
tree
of life
through
sin
and
Jesus
offers
us
eternal
life
through
his
death
on a
tree
the
tree
of
the
cross
and
when
we
turn
away
from
our
sins
and
cling
to
Jesus
Christ
for
salvation
that's
when
the
spirit
of
God
indwells
and
imparts
to
us
eternal
life
and
those
who
have
the
spirit
of
God
can
be
assured
that
after
physical
death
they
will
be
raised
again
when
Christ
returns
in the
resurrection
of the
body
that's
the
hope
we
can't
solve
it
any
other
way
we
can't
make
forge
our
own
path
to
God
that
gate
that
entrance
to
Garden
of
Eden
was
forever
shut
if
you're
an
unbeliever
and
if
you
are
a
believer
the
only
way
we
can
seek
to
restore
to
reorder
the
creation
way God
intended
it to
be
only
way
God's
intention
for
creation
can
be
fulfilled
is
within
the
gracious
provision
of
God
within
the
Christ
like
love
the
community
that
he
forms
with
the
spirit
of
God
so
the
world
is
disordered
by
our
sinful
rebellion
and
we
can
reorder
our
worship
of
God
in
relationship
with
the
world
only
by
believing
in
Jesus
Christ
I
hope
that
fills
you
with
gratitude
and
love
for
our
savior
that
he
made
the
way
for
us
that
we
cannot
make
ourselves
let's
pray
together
God
we
are
profoundly
grateful
for
we
do
shudder
at the
prospect
of
being
forever
shut
out
from
your
presence
because
you
are
our
generous
father
because
you
have
been
the
giver
of
all
good
gifts
you
have
been
faithful
morning
after
morning
have
provided
all
that
we
have
ever
needed
thanks
be to
God
for
Jesus
Christ
made
a way
for
us
and
we
give
you
all
the
praise
and
glory
for
our
salvation
and
now
help
us
Lord
as
your
representatives
on
earth
as
those
who
have
been
indwelled
by
your
spirit
to
by
your
grace
live
according
to
your
will
in a
manner
that
references
you
and gives
glory
to you
at every
turn
rather than
on our
own
independently
autonomously
help us
God
in Jesus
name
we
pray
amen
stone
we
going to
membranes